IELTS Academic Writing- Verbs for Describing Processes

Use the verbs below to describe one or more processes, e.g. from the flowcharts in IELTS
Academic Writing Part One.
1 accept – reject
2 add – take away
3 adjoin/ touch
4 adjust/ alter/ change – remain/ keep
5 affect
6 allow/ let – prevent
7 appear – disappear
8 apply/ put on
9 arrange/ organise/ put into order
10 assemble/ put together – disassemble/ take apart
11 assess/ evaluate/ judge
12 attach/ connect – take off
13 bear/ carry
14 bend/ flex – flatten
15 blow – suck
16 break – fix/ mend/ repair
17 breathe in/ inhale – breathe out/ exhale
18 bring to a close/ complete/ finish – begin/ start/ undertake
19 bring together/ gather – spread (out)
20 bring – take
21 broadcast/ transmit – receive
22 bury – dig up
23 cause/ lead to
24 check/ confirm
25 choose/ select – reject
26 classify/ sort
27 coat/ cover/ wrap – remove/ strip
28 collate/ collect/ combine/ put together – distribute/ disseminate
29 consist of
30 construct/ create/ make/ produce – destroy
31 contribute to
32 deflate – inflate
33 develop
34 dispose of/ throw away – keep/ store
35 divide/ share/ split – keep together
36 drip/ leak
37 drop – pick up
38 dry – moisten
39 empty – fill
40 enter/ go in – come out/ leave
41 evaporate – condense
42 expand/ grow – shrink
43 fall – rise
44 fasten – unfasten

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2015

45 ferment
46 float – sink
47 flow
48 follow – lead
49 form/ make up
50 freeze – melt
51 grind
52 happen/ occur
53 harden – soften
54 heat – cool
55 hide – reveal/ show
56 hold (in place) – let go/ release
57 insert/ slot into – pull out
58 lengthen – shorten
59 lie (next to/ above)
60 lift/ raise – lower
61 loosen – tighten
62 mix/ put together – separate
63 narrow – broaden/ widen
64 overtake/ pass
65 pack – unpack
66 place/ put
67 pour/ spill
68 prepare/ set up
69 press/ squeeze/ squash
70 pull – push/ press
71 pump
72 radiate
73 reach – fall short
74 release – trap
75 roll/ turn
76 screw/ rotate/ turn/ twist
77 sieve
78 slide/ slip
79 squeeze – stretch
80 stay the same – change/ vary
81 stick
82 rip/ tear
83 thread
84 use to
85 wind – unwind
86 wipe

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2015

Verbs to describing processes prepositions practice

Without looking above for now, add one preposition/ adverb to each of the gaps below.

 add – take ________

 arrange/ organise/ put ________ order
 assemble/ put together – disassemble/ take ______
 attach/ connect – take ________
 breathe ____________/ inhale – breathe __________ / exhale
 bring _______ a close/ complete/ finish – begin/ start/ undertake
 bring together/ gather – spread (________)
 bury – dig __________
 cause/ lead ________
 consist __________
 contribute _______
 dispose _________/ throw ________ – keep/ store
 drop – pick _________
 enter/ go _________ – come ______/ leave
 hold (________ place) – let go/ release
 insert/ slot _____ – pull ______
 prepare/ set ______
Look below the fold for hints.
-------------------------------------------
Mixed answers
apart
away
away
in
in
in
into
into
of
of
off
out
out
out
out
out
to
to
to
up
up
up
Compare your answers to the first worksheets. Other answers might be possible.

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2015

Verbs for describing processes opposites practice
Put one word into each gap below, using the antonyms and synonyms to help you.
 accept – ____________
 add – __________
 allow/ ______ – prevent
 appear – ___________
 assemble/ put together – _______________/ take apart
 ____________/ connect – take off
 bend/ flex – _____________
 ___________ – suck
 break – fix/ mend/ _________
 breathe in/ inhale – breathe out/ _____________
 ____________ – take
 broadcast/ _____________ – receive
 bury – ______________
 choose/ ____________ – reject
 coat/ ____________ / wrap – remove/ strip
 collate/ collect/ combine/ ______________ – distribute/ disseminate
 construct/ create/ make/ produce – __________
 ___________________ – inflate
 dispose of/ _______________ – keep/ store
 _______________/ share/ split – keep together
 _____________ – moisten
 _____________ – fill
 ___________/ go in – come out/ leave
 _____________ – condense
 expand/ grow – ______________
 fasten – ______________
 float – _____________
 _______________ – lead
 ____________ – soften
 ___________ – cool
 hide – _________/ show
 hold (in place) – let go/ ___________
 ________– pull out
 ___________ – shorten
 lift/ raise – ____________
 loosen – _____________
 mix/ put together – _________
 narrow – broaden/ __________
 pack – _______
 _______– push/ press
 _________ – fall short
 _________ – trap
 stay the same – change/ __________
 wind – __________________
Use the mixed answers on the next page to help.

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2015

Mixed answers
attach
blow
bring
cover
deflate
destroy
dis…
divide
dry
empty
enter
evaporate
flatten
follow
harden
heat
insert
lengthen
let
lower
pull
put together
reach
reject
release
release
repair
reveal
select
separate
shrink
sink
throw away
tighten
transmit
un…
vary
widen
Check your answers with the first worksheets. Other answers may be possible.

Find at least five words above which can take the prefix “re-” (there are many more).

Make the passive of all the verbs above that you can (some are never used in the
passive).

What is the difference between “It increases” and “It is increased”?

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2015